India In Talks With Russia To Acquire Sprut Light Tanks For Use In High Altitude Areas

Oct 05, 2020

The need for such tanks was felt after increased Indian deployments at the LAC following border hostilities with China, which has also fielded a range of equipment, including its Type 15 light tanks.

New Delhi: India is in advanced talks with Russia to acquire a newly developed light tank that could be useful in high altitude areas like the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

Talks to buy the Sprut SDM1 light tanks were initiated late in July under a fast-track, government-to-government process, sources told ET.

The need for such tanks was felt after increased Indian deployments at the LAC following border hostilities with China, which has also fielded a range of equipment, including its Type 15 light tanks.

The new tanks are under trial in Russia, but sources said they could be inducted in India as well for a series of rigorous field tests before the dealis finalised.

India could acquire almost two dozen such tanks in the first tranche.

The procurement is likely to cost less than ₹500 crore, which falls within the emergency financial powers given to service chiefs after the Galwan clash. The expenditure is expected to be within the emergency financial powers given to the Army following the clash with Chinese troops in Ladakh’s Galwan valley in June.

ET was the first to report in July that the government had given approvals for emergency procurement of lightweight tanks for deployment in highaltitude conditions, amid the ongoing border standoff with China. Final discussions on the contract are expected to conclude this year.

Courtesy: ET